תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת בַּחוּרִ֣ים כֹּחָ֑ם וַהֲדַ֖ר זְקֵנִ֣ים שֵׂיבָֽה׃
In the poetic brevity of Mishlei 20:29, we find a verse that captures one of life’s most universal truths — the changing nature of human value with age. It opens with a declaration about young men, then pivots to the aged:
תִּפְאֶרֶת בַּחוּרִים כֹּחָם
וַהֲדַר זְקֵנִים שֵׂיבָה
“The glory of young men is their strength; the beauty of the aged is their gray hair.”
Beneath its concise form lies a grammatical structure rich with contrast — not only between youth and old age, but between two kinds of value: power and dignity. Through careful use of construct chains, parallelism, and noun-possessive relationships, this verse encodes a vision of life where worth is not fixed, but shifts over time.
“The Glory of Young Men Is Their Strength” — Construct Chains That Define Identity
The first line reads:
תִּפְאֶרֶת בַּחוּרִים כֹּחָם
“The glory of young men is their strength.”
This phrase uses a classic construct chain (smikhut) to link identity with attribute. The word תִּפְאֶרֶת (“glory”) stands in the construct state to בַּחוּרִים (“young men”), indicating that what follows — כֹּחָם (“their strength”) — defines that glory.
| Word | Root | Form | Literal Translation | Grammatical Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| תִּפְאֶרֶת | פ-א-ר | Noun, f.s., construct state | “Glory” | Used in smikhut with “young men.” |
| כֹּחָם | כ-ח-ה | Noun + 3mp suffix | “Their strength” | Possessive suffix links it to subject. |
This structure — noun + construct + possessed object — is common in Mishlei when defining virtues or characteristics tied to roles. Here, it tells us that for young men, physical vitality is both their mark and their measure.
“And the Beauty of the Aged Is Their Gray Hair” — Parallelism with Subtle Shift
The second clause reads:
וַהֲדַר זְקֵנִים שֵׂיבָה
“And the beauty of the aged is their gray hair.”
This line mirrors the first structurally, yet introduces a crucial shift: while youth finds its worth in something active and visible (strength), old age is valued for something passive and symbolic (gray hair). This syntactic balance reflects a deep cultural and moral insight — honor changes as life progresses.
| Word | Root | Form | Literal Translation | Grammatical Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הֲדַר | ה-ד-ר | Noun, m.s., construct state | “Beauty,” “dignity” | Matches תִּפְאֶרֶת in parallelism. |
| שֵׂיבָה | שׂ-ב-ה | Noun, f.s. | “Gray hair” | Symbolizes age, wisdom, experience. |
Note the difference in the final nouns: כֹּחָם refers to something internal and active (strength), while שֵׂיבָה refers to something external and symbolic (graying hair). The grammar subtly reinforces the idea that aging brings not loss, but transformation of value.
Youth and Age in Biblical Thought: How Syntax Reflects Life Stages
The full verse unfolds in balanced structure:
- תִּפְאֶרֶת בַּחוּרִים כֹּחָם – “The glory of young men is their strength”
- וַהֲדַר זְקֵנִים שֵׂיבָה – “and the beauty of the aged is their gray hair”
This is an example of synthetic parallelism, where each line builds upon the previous, offering not just comparison, but contrast and development. In the first part, the subject is defined by vigor. In the second, by appearance — but appearance here is more than cosmetic. It is the mark of time well-worn, of years lived, of endurance earned.
The conjunction וְ at the beginning of the second line does not merely add another thought — it signals a progression. Youth is not denied its place, nor is age exalted at the expense of youth. Rather, each stage has its own linguistic space, its own grammatical dignity.
“Gray Hair” — A Symbol Grammatically Set Apart
The word שֵׂיבָה — “gray hair,” or “old age” — appears without a possessive suffix, unlike כֹּחָם. This subtle difference carries meaning:
- כֹּחָם – “their strength” – directly possessed, immediate, tangible
- שֵׂיבָה – “gray hair” – not explicitly “their gray hair,” but simply “gray hair,” as if to say: the sign itself is enough
This absence of the suffix may reflect how gray hair transcends personal possession — it is a public symbol, a visible token of experience. It does not need to be marked as “theirs” — it declares its presence on its own.
Consider how other proverbs treat gray hair:
עֲטֶ֤רֶת הֹonor שֵׂיבָה֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ צְדָקָ֔ה – “The crown of gray hair is in the way of righteousness” (Mishlei 16:31)
There too, gray hair is treated as a symbol of virtue, not just age. And here in 20:29, the syntax elevates it beyond mere description — it becomes the standard of honor for those who have lived long enough to wear it.
The Word That Weighs Time
In Mishlei 20:29, grammar becomes the mirror of life’s rhythm. Through carefully constructed pairs — תִּפְאֶרֶת and הֲדַר, בַּחוּרִים and זְקֵנִים, כֹּחָם and שֵׂיבָה — the text paints a picture of human worth that evolves with the years.
It does not diminish youth, nor does it romanticize age. Instead, it assigns each its proper linguistic place — and in doing so, reminds us that value is not static. It is shaped by time, carried in language, and honored through grammar.
In the end, this verse is more than a proverb — it is a poetic reflection on life itself, encoded in the very words that describe it.
